The present disclosure relates to articles having both retroreflective features and radio frequency-responsive features. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to a security tag, adapted for use as a window sticker, incorporating retroreflective features and radio frequency-responsive features suitable for use for fraud resistance and information retrieval.
Vehicle license plates are one typical article commonly used to identify vehicles and the corresponding owners of the vehicles. Vehicle license plates convey a limited amount of information that typically includes a license number and a state, province, or country of registration, as well as whether the owner has a current license plate. License plates typically are formed of a retroreflective sheet and have security features such as a directional image, such as an Ensure™ image available on license plate sheeting from Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company of St. Paul, Minn. and sold under the trade designation 3750E. This feature is difficult to counterfeit and facilitates immediate visual verification of finished license plate authenticity.
Radio frequency identification technology, sometimes referred to as RFID technology, has a variety of commercial applications, and is typically used for object identification and tracking from a limited distance. A radio frequency-responsive element can include electronic information identifying the object.
There exists a need to provide additional security and information currently provided by either license plates or RFID technology. Further there exists a need to provide additional protection against fraud or counterfeiting. For example, there exists a need for secure vehicle identification system that conveys an appropriate amount of information and one where it is difficult to use this system with anything but its intended vehicle.